The present invention relates to a closed transport system for chilled products, such as mineral water cans or bottles, comprising an supply device and a discharge device, wherein the supply device is located, e.g., in a store and the discharge device is located, e.g., in sales premises, where the system also comprises a transport arrangement with at least an open or closed transport way such as a channel, a duct or the like between the supply device and the discharge device.
Refrigerated mineral water in bottles or cans is normally sold by placing it in cold storage in the sales premises with the customers helping themselves from the cold store and paying at the check-out point. In the case of the known devices for storing and supplying chilled mineral water, a refrigerated store is employed which is located inside the sales premises. This requires space and thus entails extra costs. If the decision is made to have a large store outside the sales premises, planning is required in order to ensure that the local store does not run out of refrigerated products. This makes demands on both time and resources.
On the other hand there are soft drink machines which can be located both indoors and outdoors. These machines comprise a refrigerated, local store which has to be filled at regular intervals, since the storage space in the machine is limited.
In every case it is the limitation on space with regard to storage of refrigerated products which restricts the amount of products which are available to the customers at any time.
A device for use in connection with a refrigerator is previously known from DE-C2-3 208 540. The object of this device is to permit the removal of cold goods which are located closest to the discharge point in the refrigerator. The device is designed as a goods transport way in the form of an insert connecting the supply area in the refrigerator with the discharge point, thus causing products to be pushed through the refrigerator and thereby preventing recently inserted products from being removed before they are chilled. In this case it is only an insert for use inside a refrigerator which is involved.
The object of the invention is, among other things, to be able to supply refrigerated goods at any time while simultaneously being free of the need for space for cold storage of mineral water and other refrigerated products in the sales premises. By this means it will be possible to make the chilled product available in an area where there is no room for storing large quantities thereof.
It is also an object of the invention that the users obtain a visual impression of the available products, thus giving the products which are to be sold the best exposure with regard to the buyer, while at the same time the handling of the products is accomplished in an efficient and rational manner for the seller/producer.
According to the invention, the objects are achieved with a transport system for refrigerated products such as mineral water cans or bottles, comprising a supply device and a discharge device, wherein the system also comprises a transport arrangement with at least an open or closed transport way such as a channel, a duct or the like between the supply device and the discharge device.
The transport system according to the invention is characterized in
that at least one of the ways which form the transport system is equipped with a cooling arrangement,
that said way comprises insulation to prevent heat loss, and
that the transport system also acts as a store for the products, as the supply device is adapted for conveying a new product to the transport way upon an impulse transmitted to the supply device when a product is removed from the discharge device.
The system establishes a connection between an external store and the sales premises, with the result that the store is automatically replenished when the customer removes a product. This means that the customer can select large amounts of the product before the store is emptied. The need for refilling and the required planning no longer exist, thereby saving on costs. In addition, the invention provides greater flexibility with regard to the choice of sales premises and internal fittings.
The system will now be explained with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention. In the examples the transport ways are composed of ducts, but it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that other alternatives, such as channels are also possible within the scope of the invention.